Mystic Liberty Pole flag stolen for the fifth time

Mystic — For the second time in three months, and fifth time overall, someone has stolen the large American flag that flies from the Liberty Pole near the drawbridge.

John Kennedy, president of the Mystic Flag Committee, said Sunday that the flag was stolen sometime Saturday night. The flag was also stolen May 9.

He said what is “more egregious” is that the flag was still at half staff in honor of Connecticut Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Ronald Patterson Jr., 43, of Bridgeport, who was killed in a crash on I-95 on Aug. 7. He said a directive by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to fly flags at half staff to honor Patterson “made it an easier theft.”

Kennedy said the committee will meet this week to discuss ways to prevent future thefts.

“We just can’t keep going like this. We have to do something,” he said.